Highway grade-level crossing for railways



C). JOHNSON sept. 23, m24. v www@ l HIGHWAY GRADE LEVEL CROSSING FOR RAVILWAYS Filed Aug. '7 1924 Patented Sept. 23, i924.4

HIGHWAY GRADE-LEVEL CROSSING FOR RAIIIWAYS.

Application led August 7,

To all whom t mag/f.- concern.'

Be it known tl'jt I, Ofr'ro JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States of. America, and a resident of Portsmouth, county of Rockingham, and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Highway Grade-Level Crossings for Railways, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive and durable structure which will compel an approaching driver to slow I divide the highway up his vehicle before crossing the tracks and which will induce the driver to ycome to a full stop, or nearly'a full stop, prior to crossing the tracks, to give ,him ample opportunity for determining whether or not it is vsafe to go ahead; and a further object is to provide means for insuring against the car stopping on the railway-bed zafter the driver decides to make the crossing, as more fully hereinafter set forth. f

In the drawing is represented a miniature perspective view of a railway crossing embodying myinvention in its preferred form.

In the preferred form of my invention, vinto two one-way driveways, and in the right-hand driveway, adjacentthe railway-bed, I construct an elevated platform A whose entrance is inclined at B to form a' ramp, the inclination being gradual to enable the approaching car to readily climb to the top of the platform. The exit-end of the platform is like wise provided with a downwardly-inclined ramp C which terminates at or close to the adjacent railroad-rail, this ramp having an angle, of inclination which is sufficient to .carry an unbraked car, by its` own momentum, entirely across the railway tracks when the car is started down the incline, thereby insuring against stoppage of the car on the tracks, whether or not the car.be. under power.

It will be observed that an approaching driver will be required to drive up upon the platform before crossing the railway-tracks The platform willy be preferably sufficiently long to accommodate at least one car and possibly long enough to accommodate more than one. The driver will, of course, be compelled to move slowly in going up upon and traversing the platform, and this slowing-up 'of the, car`will give the driver an opportunity to study the situation. The top 'of the platform is constructed so as to -by the ramp.

It is desirable that the side edges of the OTTO JOHNSON, OF PORTSMOUTH, NEW' HAMPSHIRE 1924. Serial N0. 730,556.

induce the driver to come to this'purpose, I concave the top surface of the platform to provide' a depression in which the car may rest when it is stopped. This depression requires that the car shall make a slight ascent before leaving the, platform, thus insuring not only agilltst the car prematurely leaving the plat-. im, but also requiring a deliberate action on the part of the driver in order to go forward. When the car is once over the exit-crest, the exit-ramp will, as heretofore stated, insure the car a sufficient momentum to carry it clear across the railroad-bed, not the clutch be in, unless, of acourse, the driver applies the brake with sufficient force to counteractthe' propulsion given the car whether or a full stop; for

platform be provided with curbs D to insure against the car running off the platform, altho it will be understood that, even the a car should run `olf the platform, it would not cause serious damage, since it is believed that it will not be necessary to build the platform higher than a foot or so. I prefer building the platforms of cement or concrete,- preferably reenforced, so that they will have' a maximum durability, notwithstanding the fact that they will necessarily be in the open and therefore be subject to all kinds of weather conditions. It is desirable also that the top surface of the plate form shall be corrugated or ribbed transversely, to not only interfere with speeding over 4the platform, but 4also to assist in bringing the car to a stop in the saddle portion of the platform.

It will 'be observed that the platforms are staggeredwith reference to each other and that the inner vertical wall of one is virtually in the same vertical plane with the inner wall offthe other j )latforin` so that,

tempts to get over the railway without trav-l ersing the platform, I may place obstructions E across the railroad-bed in line with the inner walls of the platforms, these obstructions being 1n the form of elevations,

as shown, or de ressions, or any other `devices ythat woul y render it difficult or im- 'Ipossible for a driver to cross the roadbed obliquely at that point. These barriers will,

I of course, not be of such nature as to interfere with the free and safe passage of the trains. Y

It willbe further. understood that slight changes may be necessaryto accommodate my invention vto the natural to ography of some crossings. For instance, i the land at the opposite side from the repulsion-ramp inclines upwardly, this land) will have to be cut away suiliciently to permitjthe car to come clear of the railway-bed under the momentum imparted to itby the ramp.

What I claim as new is.-

-1'.*A"highwa grade-level crossing for railway-roadbe s in which the highway is divided4 into-two one-way driveways, the right-hand driveway being provided with an elevated platform lon enoughto receive a car and having an inc ined approachingsection and aninclined exit-section, the latl. ter-terminating near the adjacent railwayrail.

2. A highway grade-level crossing for railway-roadbeds in which the highway is ldivided into twoV one-way driveways, the

right-hand driveway being provided with an elevated platform lon enough to receive a car and having an inc ined approaching section and an inclined exit-section, the latter terminating near the adjacent railwayrail, each platform'having its top surface depressed, for the purpose set forth.

3. A highway grade-level crossing for railwaywoadbeds in which the highway is divided into two one-Way driveways, the right-hand driveway being provided with an elevated platform long enough to receive a car and having an inclined. approachingsection and en inclined exit-section, the latter termlnating near the adjacent railwayrail, obstructions beingiplaced in the railway-bed aci' ss the same substantially in line with t e inner vertical walls of thc platforms, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

OTTO JOHNSON. 

